Coin-controlled operating device for vending-machines and the like



K. COLLINS. 'CQIN`CONTROLLED OPERATING DEVICE FOR VENDING MACHINES AND TIII LIKE.

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APPLICATION man FEB. 12.v |920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

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Ho mw A. II.. COLLINS. 4l`COINl CONTROLLED OPERATING DEVICE FOR VENDING MACHINES AND THE LIKE.

' APPLICATION FILED IEB. 12. 1920. -v 1,382,475, Patented June 21, 1921.

2 SHEETS-:SHEET 2.

Mvento/a @pi/wwwa k- I g 'd' y v A I @Monnet UNITED' STATES A PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT K. COLLINS, OF CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 21, 1921.

Application filed February 12, 1920. Serial No. 358,198.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.'

.lie it known that l, ALBERT K. CoLLIivs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Charlotte, North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin- Controlled Operating Devices for Vending-Machines and the like, of which. the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in vending machines and has particular application to a coin controlled operating device for such machines.

.ln carrying out the present invention, it is my purpose to .provide a coin controlled operating device for vending machines, change making' machines and the like, whereby when the proper coin is applied to the device the machine controlled thereby may be readily operated to deliver the inerchandise or change as the case may be.

It is also my purpose to provide a device of the class described which will be incapable of operation upon the application of a slug or other spurious coin thereto and i.vhieh will be locked against operation until the proper coin has been inserted therein.

Furthermore, I aim to provide a device of the type set forth which will embrace the desired features of simplicity, eiiiciency and durability, coupled with chcapness of cost in manufacture and marketing and which may be applied to any type of vending or change making machine without necessitating any elaborate changes in the structure of such machines. p

With the above recited objects in view and others of a similar nature, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts set forth in and fallinfi'within the scope ofthe appended claims.

ln the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a. view in sido elevation of a device constructed in accordance with the present invention. n

4Fig. V2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig.V 4L is a similar view on the line 4-4 of Fig 2.

Fig. is a rear elevation of one of the side walls of the casing.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3 showing the fingers in closed position.

F 1g. .7 is a similar' view showing the fingers in open position.

Figa 8 1s a like view showing the position of the lingers when a spurious coin is inserted between the same.

F 1g. 9 is a fragmentary top plan view showing' a pair of the fingers.

lfig. 10 is a perspective view of the fingers.

nlug. 11 1s a fragmentary perspective view of the disk carrying the .fingers and .locking bolts.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view locking bolts.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary view through the casing.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the device.

eferring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, A designates a casing constructed of some suitable or appropriate material and composed, in the present instance, of a side wall 1 having the marginal edge thereof iiangcd as at 2 and the flange forme/d with bolt holes el and a plate 5 forming the opposite side wall of the casing and formed with a securing flange 3 formed with bolt holes alining with the holes 4lto receive the fastening bolts. In the present instance, the central portions of the walls 1 and 5 of the casing are bulged outwardly so as to nicely receive and accommodate the mechanism of the device.

The operating shaft 6 is journaled in the side walls of the casing at a point approximately centrally thereof and at one end is equipped with a manipulating knob 7. ln this form of my invention the movable element of the device is in the form of a disk 8 within the casing A and keyed upon the shaft 6, such disk being provided with slots 9 disposed radially of the axis thereof. Sue rounding the shaft 6 and keyed thereto at one side of the disk 8 is a relatively small disk 1() formed with a peripheral flange 1.0 provided with slots 11, each designed to receive the shank 12 of a locking dog 1?), the latter being placed in face to face contact with one side of the disk 8 and having lugs 14 stamped therefrom and projected through the respective slots 9 in the disk. At the junction ofthe shank 12 with the main body portion of the dog a shoulder is formed to receive one extremityof a coiled expansion spring 15 encircling the shank and having the free end thereof abutting of one of the cross sectional Vof the'device against operation.

contiguous to suchy the proximate portion of the periphery oi the relatively small dislr l0.

A second disk 16 is lreyed to the shaft 6 at the opposite side ofthe dislr 8 and has formed thereon adjacent to' the periphery thereoi"v spacers or blocks 17 designed to contact with the adjacent part oit the disk 8 to hold the dislr 16 spaced apart therefrom. Pivotally connected to the dislr lGbetween the spacers 17 thereonand lying1 against the adjacent *face oi the disk 8 constituting the movable element of the device are pairs of duplex lingers 18, the lingers oi each pair being disposed at the opposite sides or" the lugs le on the corresjiionding` locking dog 13, while leaf springs 19 or tension devices of some other form hold the lingers of each mirnormally at their limit or inward movement. These AHilgers have their confrontine` 'faces tormedwith'heels 2O which, when the lingers are in normal position, contact with the lugs l-'i on the' lockingdog to hold the latter against inward movement and in locking` position. y

Formedin the casing A at some Asuitable point is a coin slot by means lof which a coin may be fed to the device. while the inner wall of the casino,` at a point adjacent vto the coin slot is formed with a roove 22 to successively receive the lockingelement Art each adapted dogs 13 so as to holdrthe movable end otthe groove 22 and groove the inner wall of the casing is provided with depressions 23, the purpose of which will presently appear. The numeral 2d designates the outlet or discharge opening ot the casing.

ln the 'embodiment oi' my invention selected for illustrative purposes, the dogs 13 and their cooperating springs constitute the locking means oi' the movable element oi' the device. while the pairs oi" duplex fingers Y 1S form the coin controlled means control- Cil linow the locking means. it is conceivable, however, that other locking and coin-controlled means controlling` said lirst means may be employed without departing; from the spirit oi, my invention,

'it wiil be seen that the Fingers 18 oleach pair Yarein the torni of longitudinal'sections capable ot independent orV relative movement. The purpose ot thisconstruction is to prevent theintroductionioi lslugs or counterfeit coins into the machine. For instance, should a coin ot a'denomination other than that for which the machine is adapted, be fed into the machine by way vof, the coin slot Qlftherein and be of less thickness than 'the proper coin, as' shown in 8,7the fingers will not respond as a unit to the influence of the coin, but yonly certain sections thereof swing outwardly. Thus, the particular locking dog will be held against inward movement incident to the heels ot the remaining sections of the respective lingers enpaging the coperating lug let of the dog. have found it advantageous to tasten to the wall of the coin slot 2l a catch or spring 25 so that the coin applied to the machine will be held therein automatically.

From the foregoing` description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction, 4mode of operation and manner ofi employing'miI to be connected up to the operating element ol" a vending, change making or other machineq and a pair of lingers' 18 in alinement with the coin slot 2l in the casing: as shown in l, it will be obvious that the movi e element ot the device will be unable to ro e under the action ot the shaft 6 and inanipnlatin'r disk Z thereon, incident to the dos* 1?; under the control of the particular pair et' lingers i8 having the outerend thereof flisposed within the slot 2l in the inner wall ot the casing. However, should a coin be introducedinto the machine. by way of the coin slot 2l therein, such coin will enter the space between the particular pair of lingers registering with the coin slot and Jr'orce such fingers apart, that isv to say, swing the same about their pivotal connections with the dislr i6. and against theV action of the respective springs `i9. As' the lingers move outwardly or away from each other, the heels 20 thereof release the cooperating lugs lton the dop; 13, while the coin engages i such lugs and so moves the dog inwardly or toward the axis of the disk 8 and against the action oit the springV l5. rlfhus, the mov able element oit the machin-e is relieved of the inliuence ot the locking dog and the shatt rendered operative. Assoon as the shaft is rotated a predetermined' distance, determined by the distance between the lockine; doos, the following or succeedingA dog will en .o` .fre the groove and ride around and within the same untilV it meets the far end ot the slot l1 whereby further movement of the movable element is arrestedA In the initial movement of the movable element, subsequent to the introduction of the coin into the device, the locking don,r following Vthe previously active dog enters the lockinga `groove 22 and in doing so drives the coin between the respectivepairs of fingers outwardly of the casing by way of the discharge slot 24 therein,V `'In vthe presentinstance, the inlet and outlet slots ofthe casing are arranged in proximity t0 each other and as a consequence every pair ot fingers, but that opposite the coin slot, has a coin therein. l

Une side wall oi the. casing, for example, the wall l, is provided with sight holesf26 through which 'the coins within the device may be viewedn These openings are preterinvention will Y `be readily apparent. Assuming the shaft 6 ably of a diameter' slightly less than that 0f the coms, thus enabling the plugged coins to be seen so that the miscreant may be de- 'tected before the coin has been discharged from the device.

Adjacent to the depression 23 above the coin slot the casing is formed with a depression 23 having` an inclined end wall that merges into the side wall of the adjacent depression 23 and this depression 23 is designed to receive the adjacent locking dog 13 in the event of such dog being actuated to release position by a penknife or other instrument, the dog entering the depression 23 as soon as the shaft is rotated and the dog relieved of the influence of the instrument. Thus, the device is held against operation by one that intended to defraud, and the shaft may be rotated in the reverse direction to move the dog to its original locking position.

In the present instance, an actuating wheel 27 of some suitable construction is fixed to the shaft 6 concentrically thereof and controls the vending-machine or other apparatus under the control of the present invention, and associated with this actuating wheel is a counter mechanism 28 adapted to be operated in each rotation of the wheel. In the present instance, the leaf springs 19 are carried by blocks 29 disposed between the respective sets o-f fingers and these blocks act as stops to limit the opening movement of the lingers.

While I have herein shown and described the particular embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit or confine myself to the precise details of construction herein described and delineated, as modification may be made within the scope of the appended claims and without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Furthermore, it is to bei-understood that the size of the movable element of the device may be varied and any 4desired number of fingers and locking dogs employed so that the capacity or range of the device may be varied to suit the circumstances or requirements of each particular case.

I claim:

l. In a coin controlled operating device for vending machines. a casing having a coin slot therein, a shaft journaled in said casing and adapted for rotary movement, a disk keyed upon said shaft and rotatable therewith, said disk having radial slots formed therein, locking dogs disposed upon one side of the disk and having lugs stamped therefrom and projecting through the slots in the disk, said dogs normally holding the disk against movement, and pairs of coin controlled lingers'at the opposite side of said disk, the confronting edges of the fingers of each pair having heels formed thereon adapted to engage the respective lug in said locking dog to hold the latter against movement to unlocking position, said fingers heilig' adapted to be moved away from each other to relieve the lugs of the influence of the heels upon the application of a coin to the machine whereby the disk will be relieved of the influence of the locking dogs so that the shaft may be actuated to operate the machine associated with the device.

2. In a coin controlled operating device for vending machines, a casing having a coin slot and a groove therein, an element journaled in said casing for rotary movement, locking' dogs on one face of said element and disposed radially of the axis thereof and adapted to successively engage the groove in said casing` to hold the element against movement, means urging said dogs into said `groove, pairs of duplex lingers on the opposite faces of said disk, and connections between the lingers of each pair and one of said dogs whereby upon the application of a coin to said fingers, the movable element will be relieved of the influence of said dogs so that said movable element may be actuated to operate the machine associated therewith. Y.

3. In a coin controlled operating device for vending` machines, the combination of a casing having a coin slot therein, a shaft journaled to rotate in said casing, a disk upon said shaft and rotatable therewith, locking dogs disposed upon one side of said disk and extending radially thereof and normally engaging said casing to hold the shaft against movement, and coin controlled iingers upon the opposite side of said disk, said fingers having abutments formed thereon coperating with said dogs for normally preventing the release of the latter, said abutments being engageable by a coin in serted through said slot and forced out of operative relation with said dogs.

1l. In a coin controlled operating device for vending machines, the combination of a casing having a coin slot therein, a shaft journaled in said casing and adapted for rotary movement, a disk keyed upon said shaft, said disk having radial slots therein,

locking dogs for normally holding said disk from rotation disposed upon one side of the disk radially thereof, said dogs having lugs extending laterally through said radial slots. and pairs of coin controlled fingers at the opposite side of said disk adapted to cooperate with said lugs for normally restraining the release of said dogs from locking position, said fingers being moved out of operative relation with said dogs by the coins inserted through said slot whereby a coin may engage said lugs and move the corresponding dog to released position and permit rotation of said disk.

.5, In a coin controlled operating device for vending machines, the combination of a casing having a coin slot and a groove ormed therein, an element journaled in said casing for rotary movement, locking dogs on one face of said element disposed radially of the axis thereof and adapted to successively engage the groove in said casing to hold the element against rotation, means urging said dogs into said groove, pairs of lingers on the opposite 'face oi' said element adapted to coact with .said dogs for normally holding the latter in locking position, said fingers being arranged so that a coin inserted through said slot causes said fingers to release one of said dogs, whereby said dog may be moved to inoperative position and release said element so that the latter may be actuated to operate the machine associated therewith. 6. ln a coin controlled operating device, the combination ot' a casing having a coin slot and a groove therein, a disk rotatably mounted within the casing, a plurality of locking dogs carried by said disk so that two of said dogs normally engage opposite ends of said groove for locking the disk against rotation, and pairs of pivoted fingers r'or normally holding the dogs in locked position, saidngers being spread apart by the coin inserted through said slot orreleasing one of said dogs and permitting rotation of said disk in one direction. 1 A

7. In a coin controlled operating device, the combination with a casing having a coin slot, a groove adjacent said slot terminating at each end in a locking shoulder, and an auxiliary recess formed therein terminating at one end in a locking shoulderand gradu ally merging at the other end into the adjacent shoulder of said groove, oi a disk rotatably Vmounted within the casing, spring pressed locking dogscarried by said disk so that two ot said dogs normally engage the shoulders of said groove for locking the disk against rotation, whereby an instrumentinsorted through said coin slot is ineffective to rotate the disk to the necessary extent since upon slight rotation 01" the disk one of said dogs is moved out oat engagement with theV instrument and immediately engages in said recess and the shoulder of the latter coacting with saidl dog limits the movement of the disk in one direction. i

S. ln a coin controlled operating device, the combination of a casing havinga coin slot and a groove formed therein, av disk roin the casing, spring pressed dogs carried by said disk adapted to engage opposite ends of .said groove for normally locking the disk from rotation; pivoted duplex lingers comprising Aindependently Ymovable sections for normally maintaining the dogsv in locked position and adapted to release said dogs. when all of the sections are actuated by the coin inserted through said slot. Y

9. ln a coin controlled operating device, the combination of a rotatable disk; means for normally locking said disk against rotation, and pivoted iingers consisting of independently movable sections tor maintaining .said means in locked position adapted to be actuated to inoperative position by a coin of proper thickness. v

l0. ln a coin controlled operating device, the combination of a casing having a coin slot, a coin outlet, a groove andan arcuate recess formed therein, a rotatable disk mounted in said recess, a plurality or" radially movable locking dogs carried by said tatably mounted vdisk any two oit' whichY are adapted to en* gage with opposite ends of said groove for locking they disk from rotation, a pair of pivoted fingers for each dog tending to maintain the corresponding dog'in locked position, said fingers being moved to inoperative position by a coin of proper dimension inserted through said slot, and said coins co- -acting withaV circumferential wall of said recess and with said clogs to maintain said dogs inl unlocked position until said outlet is reached.

1l. ln a coin controlledl operating device, thea combination with a casing having a coin slot therein, of a rotatable element within the casing, lockingdevices-or normally holding said element against rotation, pivot'ed fingers normally holding said devices in locked position, said lingers being actuated to inoperative positionby a coin of proper size inserted through .said slot where by said coin may have access te saidflock-ing devices for positively releasing the same.

ln testimony whereof I-have hereunto .set my hand in presenceY of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT K. COLLINS.

Witnesses: n A y l C. Y A. DUCKWORTH, (Louisa lllrrrrnns. 

